Channel device to hold bottom of sliding door

ABSTRACT

A channel device to hold a sliding door at its bottom. A U-channel beam attached to the bottom of the sliding door confines a roller bearing attached to an angle bracket on a door frame at the open end. The sliding door bottom is maintained adjacent to the door frame and the floor with the roller bearing traversing the U-channel beam. A large sliding door, such as a barn door, can thus be kept manageable for closing and opening.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to guides for sliding doors. More specifically, the invention is a sliding shop or barn door guide which uses a roller bearing fixed to a door frame that rolls in a channel attached to the bottom of the door in order to properly space or hold the bottom of the sliding door away from the door frame during opening and closing of the door.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] The related art of interest describes various sliding door guides, but none discloses the present invention. There is a need for a simple installable door device to prevent a sliding barn or garage door from shifting too close or too far away from the door frame at the bottom of the door when opening or closing the door, or when high winds blow against the door. The relevant art will be discussed in the order of perceived relevance to the present invention.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 258,624 issued on May 30, 1882, to George I. Blynn describes a stopping arrangement for a sliding farm gate suspended by two brackets having two upper rollers and two inner rollers rolling on a horizontal angle iron arm supported by a horizontal post attached to a vertical post at one end. The advance of the gate is checked when the rollers abut the vertical post. The system is distinguishable because the two brackets on rollers ride on a horizontal arm of a stationary post.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,517 issued on Mar. 19, 1996, to Scottland D. McCraw describes a rolling gate stopping and locking system that includes a rubber head on a vertical apertured (for a padlock) steel pole secured to the top of the runner of the gate rollers. The purpose of the rubber head is to check the further advance of the gate rollers. The system is distinguishable for requiring a rubber headed steel pole to stop the roller wheel of the rolling gate.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,744 issued on Dec. 6, 1988, to Hermann Warner describes a stopping device designed as a spring clip for use within a slide block along a C-shaped guide track such as are found in a window pane of a motor vehicle. The spring clip is distinguishable for being restricted to the window guide tracks of motor vehicles.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,894 issued on May 31, 1994, to Toru Tsukada describes a stopper device for a linear tool guide device comprising a guide rail having axial rolling member-rolling grooves at opposite side surfaces thereof. A slider is loosely fitted on the guide rail to move along it. The slider has rolling member-rolling grooves disposed in opposed relation to the rolling member-rolling grooves of the guide rail, respectively. The stopper device comprises a stopper body of a U-shaped cross-section mounted astride an upper surface of the guide rail and supports a mounted tool. The device is distinguishable for being limited to supporting a tool on a slider riding a track.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,42,979 issued on Apr. 28, 1998, to Maria del Rosario Garcia-Hernando describes a rolling support and guide system for two sliding doors comprising a floor track with wheel tracks separating the dual wheels of each door. The system is distinguishable for being limited to a pair of sliding doors.

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,790 issued on Sep. 17, 1974, to Wilhelm Schwarz et al. describes vertically arranged end abutments for a sliding door of a railway freight car comprising a cellular body of synthetic material having a greater cross-section for insertion into a door frame fitting and a shorter diameter cross-section axially projecting. The end abutments are distinguishable for being limited to placement at the sides of the door frame.

[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,724 issued on Aug. 10, 1993, to Andre T. Lei tert et al. describes a cushioned stop member for three sliding panels in a closet door assembly comprising a foam rubber pad retained on a rectangular base positioned at the top end of each panel. The stop members are distinguishable for being limited in their structure added to sliding doors in a closet assembly.

[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,488 issued on Mar. 14, 2000, to Fukuyoshi Kawakatsu describes a sliding door stopper for limiting a sliding movement of a vehicle sliding door in a direction of opening of the sliding door by abutting contact of the door with a stopper in a cushioning manner. The sliding door is suspended from a guide rail mounted on the vehicle. The sliding door stopper comprises an elongate rubber block adhesively attached. The sliding door stopper is distinguishable for being limited to a rubber stopper for a vehicle sliding door.

[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,736 issued on Sep. 14, 1993, to Harry Cannaday et al. describes a drawer stop to prevent unintentional removal of a drawer assembly by creating a frictional stop (high density polyethylene) of the drawer at the front parting rail of the dresser case. A single centered rail inside the case supports the drawer. The drawer stop is distinguishable for being limited to a dresser drawer.

[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,290 issued on Apr. 18, 1978, to Wasyl, Lymar et al. describes a stop for limiting the upward movement of closures such as slidable windows and doors in their channel framework. The hemispherical stop has a body portion comprising metal, plastic, wood or hard rubber adhesively securable to the frame of the window or door, and limits the upward movement of the window or door within the frame. The stop has a self-tapping screw to adjust the space between the stop and the top of the window or door. The stop is distinguishable for requiring a hemispherical body and a self-tapping adjusting screw.

[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 62,196 issued on Feb. 19, 1867, to Charles Hermance describes a sliding gate hinge for an animal gate elevatable in winter due to snow comprising a gate with multiple horizontal rails with the top rail traversing a pintle having plates for holding a roller on the hinged post. The sliding gate hinge is distinguishable for being limited to a roller in a pintle.

[0016] U.S. Pat. No. 243,339 issued on Jun. 21, 1881, to Oscar A. Young describes a sliding and swinging farm gate comprising a first post with a recess in which the railed gate can slide, a second intermediate post with a hanger having a roller, and a third post having a flanged roller under the top rail. The farm gate is distinguishable for its required hanger and flanged roller.

[0017] U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,422 issued on Oct. 25, 1966, to Otto H. Hoffmann describes a closure device or door pull for sliding door panels travelling in tracks which prevents the doors from overlapping. The device is a decorative combination door pull and stop easy to install. The closure device can have various configurations such as a cross, an oval, a rectangle, and an I-beam cross-section, which device is attached to a bottom corner of the rear door panel by a screw. The devices are distinguishable for requiring the installation of door stops on a bottom corner of sliding doors.

[0018] Japan Patent Application No. 53-136344 published on Nov. 11, 1928, for Mitsuo Terasono describes attachments to the top and bottom frames of a sliding door to dampen shocks, to eliminate damage to the sliding doors when they are closed, and to eliminate gaps between the door and its frame. The device is distinguishable for its requirement to be installed on both the top and bottom frames of the sliding doors.

[0019] Japan Patent Application No. 6-294249 published on Oct. 21, 1994, for Yasunobu Sasada describes an apparatus for stopping a sliding door at a desired position by disposing a deformable, elastic rotor on the outer periphery of a wheel, and providing a compressive fixed member for causing the rotor to be pressed in between the wheel and the fixed member so that rotation of the wheel is stopped. The apparatus is distinguishable for requiring its placement on the transom above the sliding door.

[0020] None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a channel device to hold a sliding door at its bottom solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The present invention is directed to solving the problem of excessive inward and outward movement of a sliding door hung from its top portion by inclement weather as well as constant usage. Therefore, the instant device provides a more stable sliding door by attaching a steel channel piece to the inner surface of the door bottom which accepts a restraining element in the form of a roller bearing attached to an angle bracket which is fastened to a door frame. The roller bearing rolls in the channel as the door is opened or closed to guide the bottom of the door and to maintain the bottom of the door a fixed distance from the door frame. Thus, the device now restrains excessive movement of the sliding door. Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a restraining device for the lower edge of a sliding door.

[0022] It is another object of the invention to provide a channel element in the lower rear edge of the sliding door.

[0023] It is a further object of the invention to provide a roller bearing element to ride in the channel element.

[0024] Still another object of the invention is to provide an angle bracket on the door frame for supporting the roller bearing element.

[0025] It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.

[0026] These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027]FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a channel device installed on a door frame to hold a sliding door at its bottom according to the present invention.

[0028]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bracket portion.

[0029]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the roller bearing portion on a threaded stud.

[0030]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the channel piece portion having spaced fastening apertures on its rear side.

[0031] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0032] The present invention, illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, is directed to a channel device system 10 to hold a large sliding door 12, e.g., a barn door, without a bottom track at its bottom properly positioned in a door frame 14. The system 10 comprises a U-channel beam 16, having elongated front and rear flanges joined by an elongated center plate defining a substantially U-shaped cross-section, the channel 16 having a length which extends substantially across the length of the sliding door 12, the rear flange being attached to the interior surface of the door 12 by appropriate fasteners with the open top of the channel aligned upward. A rotatable roller bearing 18 is adapted to travel within the U-channel beam 16. An angle bracket 20 supporting the roller bearing 18 is positioned horizontally on a door frame 14 proximate the fully open sliding door 12 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0033] The angle bracket 20 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 is configured with an extended horizontal flange segment 22 and an upright flange segment 24. The horizontal flange segment 22 has an aperture 26 a at its end for securing the shaft of the roller bearing 18. The upright flange segment 24 preferably has two apertures 26 b for fastening to the door frame 14 with a pair of fasteners 28, such as bolts, lag screws, or the like as shown in FIG. 1 to maintain the level of the angle bracket 20. The apertures 26 b may be circular holes, or they may be slots so that the position of the hole 26 a in the horizontal flange 22 over the channel 16 may be adjusted by moving the bracket 20.

[0034] The roller bearing 18 depicted in FIG. 3 is mounted on a threaded stud 30 which is inserted through the aperture 26 a and secured to the aperture 26 a of the extended flange segment 22 of the angle bracket 20 by a nut 32. The roller bearing 18 must have a diameter to smoothly travel the width of the U-channel beam 16 shown in FIG. 4. The U-channel beam 16 is fastened proximate to the bottom edge of the large sliding barn door 12. Thus, the bottom region of the sliding door 12 is maintained adjacent to the door frame 14.

[0035] Exemplary dimensions of the elements in the channel device system 10 is as follows.

[0036] U-channel beam 16: Rolled form, 1 inch high front and rear flanges and 1.5 inches wide center plate, outside width, with {fraction (5/16)} inch apertures 26 c for fastening to the sliding door.

[0037] Angle bracket 20: Extended flange segment 22, 6 inches in length and 2 inches in width; upright flange segment 24, 2 inches in height and 3 inches in length. Two apertures 26 b are {fraction (7/16)} inch in diameter in the upright flange segment 24. The aperture 26 a in the extended flange segment 22 is {fraction (9/16)} inch in diameter.

[0038] Roller bearing 18: 1.25 inches in diameter and 1 inch in height.

[0039] Thus, a simplified, economical and readily installable door channel device to hold a sliding wide door such as for a barn has been disclosed to prevent the door from rattling excessively and maintaining the door bottom close to its frame.

[0040] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. 

I claim:
 1. A channel device to hold a bottom edge of a sliding door supported on rollers along a top edge of the door in a door frame, comprising: a U-shaped channel having elongated front and rear flanges and an elongated center plate joining the front and rear flanges to define a U-shape in transverse cross-section, the rear flange being adapted for attachment to an inside bottom surface of a sliding door with the channel opening upward; an angle bracket having a vertical flange and a horizontal flange having a greater length than the vertical flange, the vertical flange being adapted for attachment to a door frame adjacent the sliding door, the horizontal flange extending above the channel; and a rotatable roller bearing depending from the horizontal flange of said angle bracket, the roller bearing extending into the channel so that the roller bearing rolls against the front and rear flanges of the channel when the sliding door is opened and closed; whereby the bottom of the sliding door is held a fixed distance from the door frame.
 2. The channel device according to claim 1, wherein the roller bearing is mounted on a threaded shaft, the shaft being fastened to the horizontal flange of said angle bracket.
 3. The channel device according to claim 1, wherein the vertical flange of said angle bracket has a pair of apertures defined therein for securing said angle bracket to the door frame.
 4. The channel device according to claim 1, wherein the U-shaped channel is made from a rolled form steel.
 5. The channel device according to claim 1, wherein the angle bracket is made from hardened metal. 